Carbon
Footprint
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Learning objectives
1. Explain what is climate change, its physical and
anthropogenetic causes and the ways for dealing with it:
•Understand the context of carbon footprint, and what it is
important for
2. Describe the different methodologies, standards and sectoral
guidelines for the carbon footprint assessment
3. Apply and enhance the tools for carbon footprint allowing the
students to assess any system
•Conduct a simple measurement of any organization’s carbon
footprint and identify “hot spots”
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Climate change
Weather vs Climate
While weather refers to short-term changes in the atmosphere,
climate refers to atmospheric changes over longer periods of time,
usually 30 years or more.
Global warming vs Climate Change
Global warming is the long-term heating of Earth’s surface
observed since the pre-industrial period (1850-1900), Climate
change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that
define Earth’s local, regional and global climates (because of
global warming as main cause)
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Climate change
Global warming is the result of an increase in the greenhouse
effect, caused by the presence of carbon dioxide, methane,
nitrous oxides, and other greenhouse gases.
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Climate change
The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), published in 2021,
noted that the best estimate of the increase in global average
surface temperature between 1850 and 2019 was 1.07 °C.
Now, we are at 1.1-1.2 ºC
They predicted future emissions based on different scenarios for
the period between 2015 and 2100:
•The lowest-emissions scenario, + 1.0-1.8 °C
•The intermediate-emissions scenario, + 2.1-3.5 °C
•The highest-emissions scenario, + 3.3-5.7 °C
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Climate change
Climate scientists agree that if the global average temperature
rose by more than 1.5 °Cin such a short time, the consequences
would include:
•The extinction of many plant and animal species
•Shifts in patterns of agriculture
•Rising sea levels
Why does global warming rise sea level?
Density (mass/volume) is a physical property that depends on
temperature. So on, if temperature grows, water atoms (and
consequently, its volume) expands.
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
What do we do as a society?
On a global scale, the climate-change policy is guided by two
major treaties:
•The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) of 1992. It sets the long-term objective of stabilizing
greenhouse gas concentrations. It establishes that the world’s
countries have common but differentiated responsibilities.
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
What do we do as a society?
•The Kyoto Protocol of 1997. Regulates six greenhouse gases
released through human activities: carbon dioxide (CO2),
methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), perfluorocarbons (PFCs),
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). It sets
individual reduction targets per country.
https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-kyoto-
protocol/what-is-the-kyoto-protocol/kyoto-protocol-targets-for-
the-first-commitment-period
•The Paris agreement of 2015. This is a legally binding treaty to
limit the global temperature increase in this century to 2ºC
while pursuing efforts to limit the increase even further to 1.5 ºC
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
What apples are you buying?
Carbon footprint is a
good indicator to
measure Climate
Change impact. But it is
not the only impact we
should assess to
measure environmental
impact or sustainability
impact…
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Carbon footprint
A carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
caused by an individual, event, organization, service, place or
product, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).
Categorisation factors (kg CO2e/kg emitted) according to AR5
(Cumulative forcing over 100 years):
•Carbon dioxide (emitted): 1
•Methane (emitted): 28
•Nitrous oxide (emitted): 265
•Carbon tetrafluoride (emitted): 6630
•Refrigerant HFC-152a (emitted): 138
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Carbon footprint
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Cutlery case study
The steel
cutlery has the
lower carbon
footprint after
reusing it
several times
The weight of the cutlery has
a significant impact on the
fuel consumption when using
it in flights.
Gonzalo Blanca-Alcubilla, Alba Bala, Nieves de Castro, Rosa Colomé, Pere Fullana-i-Palmer, Is
the reusable tableware the best option? Analysis of the aviation catering sector with a
life cycle approach, Science of The Total Environment, Volume 708, 2020, 135121, ISSN
0048-9697, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135121
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
What is your carbon footprint?
Calculate the emissions factors
used by the calculator and apply
normalization / allocation
factors.
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Carbon footprint methods
The organizational CF provides a result that can be used as a global
environmental indicator of the activity carried out by the organization.
The carbon footprint is thus configured as a basic point of reference
for the initiation of actions to reduce energy consumption and for the
use of resources and materials with better environmental
performance.
When comparing organization CF from different years we need to have
in mind the activities of the company (for example, the years from
covid period might be difficult to compare with the other years).
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
GHG protocols
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Carbon footprint methods
Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard (GHG Protocol)
ISO 14064-1 (ISO 14065:2012 &ISO 14069:2013)
IPCC 2006 GHG Workbook –previous to GHG Protocol
Bilan Carbone method (under GHG protocol and ISO 14064)
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): Best practices
ISAE 3410: Assurance Engagements on Greenhouse Gas Statements
This international methodologies are based on the next principles:
RELEVANCE, INTEGRITY, CONSISTENCY, ACCURACY AND
TRANSPARENCY
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Carbon footprint methods
RELEVANCE: The level of coincidence between the content of data
and the user's areas of interest (Goal and scope).
INTEGRITY: Maintenance of, and the assurance of, data accuracy,
completedness and consistency over its entire life-cycle (trustfulness
of data sources used in the inventory).
CONSISTENCY: Refers to whether the same data kept at different
places do or do not match (use of data sources according to location,
temporality and level of technology in the inventory).
ACCURACY: Error-free records that can be used as a reliable source of
information.
TRANSPARENCY: The ability to easily access and work with data no
matter where they are located or what application created them.
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Carbon footprint methods
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Data in carbon footprint
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
What is the sense of carbonfootprinting?
•Fighting against climate change
•Identifying hotspots and reducing them > Energy and materials
efficiency > Economic savings
•Access to subventions and European funds
•Improve corporate reputation and company positioning
•Identify new business opportunities: attract investors and clients
who are aware of climate change and the environment (i.e. Heura
Food, Freshly Cosmetics)
•MANDATORY: Certifications, labelling, legislation (sector specific)
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Recommendations to reduce emissions
•Improve the insulation materials
•Lighting
•Natural light when possible (optimize it with light sensors)
•Use lower consumption lamps
•Air-Conditioning System
•Use a highly eficient boiler
•Heat recovery system
•Zoning of areas to be air-conditioned
•Biomass or natural gas better than carbon or gas-oil
•Geothermal or other renewable energies for buildings
•Use of awnings and blinds
•Regulation of air conditioning to 26ºC in summer and 21ºC in winter
•Transport
•Public transport or bike if possible
•Optimizing routes
•Avoid unnecessary cargo
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
Reporting
The carbon footprint report allows you to publicly report the results of your GHG
emissions inventory. The information contained in it must be relevant, complete,
consistent, accurate and transparent (GHG Protocol).
MINIMUM CONTENT OF THE REPORT
•Brief description of the organisation. Why are you performing a CFP?
•Description of the boundaries of the organisation
•Calculation period covered, time baseline, and evolution of emissions in
relation to the selected time baseline.
•Assumptions made, if any, in making the calculations. Explanation of the
reasons for the exclusion of the quantification of any GHG sources, if any.
•Total emissions, distinguishing Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 (if calculated).
•How you are managing your impacts. Setting targets. Risk and opportunities.
•Reference of methodologies used.
Sergi Arfelis Espinosasergiarfelis.com
